


let your soul breathe

by twentytwofifty



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Attempt at Humor, Awkward Kageyama Tobio, Banter, Bickering, Bonding, Crystals, Established Friendship, F/M, Feelings Realization, Fluff, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, How Do I Tag, Kageyama Tobio-centric, M/M, Picnics, Romantic Fluff, Self-Indulgent, Soft Kageyama Tobio, Teen Romance, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Why Did I Write This?, i hope this isnt that bad LOL, idek what pov this is in PLS i hope its not confusing to read, idk what im doing pLs, srry if ur actually abt to read this lol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-13 05:29:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29396988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twentytwofifty/pseuds/twentytwofifty
Summary: "Those are camellias," murmured Tobio. "Do you know what they symbolize?"You slightly turned to look at him, giving the boy a vaguely amused once-over. Smiling lazily, you asked, "What do they symbolize, Tobio?"It was his turn to shoot you a lazy smile. "I don't think I wanna say.""I see. So then what's the point of asking me? Are you ever going to let me in on the secret meaning of camellias?", you jokingly inquired."Yes, I suppose I will. Not right now though. But I will tell you, when I deem fit. Make sure you're paying attention."You raised an eyebrow at this. "Oh? How mysterious.""Mhm."With that you stood up, casting one more glance at the camellias. "Let's get going, yeah? Our food is probably getting cold."orin which u and tobio go on a lil picnic
Relationships: Kageyama Tobio/Reader
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	let your soul breathe

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! A few words before you begin reading this. It starts off kind of slow, but I promise you it's worth reading until the end. When I started this fic, I had a certain idea in mind. But then, as I continued to write, it took on a life of it's own. I'm sorry if it's confusing; my writing has a tendency to be like that. At one point, a sycamore tree is being climbed. I don't know if those trees grow in Japan, but I needed it for the plot. Also, later in the story, I go into detail about crystals, frequencies, and vibrations. I did lots of research to try and be as accurate as possible, seeing as I just started working with crystals and such. With that being said, what I wrote may not be completely correct, so please, please, do not hesitate to correct me! Enjoy this fic, and be sure to let me know what you thought about it in the comments!

You bobbed and weaved through the mass of students until your eyes settled on a familiar scowling face. Grinning to yourself, you started to move a little faster until you were in the boy's line of sight. 

"Tobiooo~!" you drawled out, a jovial lilt tinting your voice. 

Finally noticing the enigma in front of him, Kageyama met your eyes, his face immediately morphing into one of slight indignation. You smiled even wider, and fell into step beside him. He glanced at you with expectant eyes, wondering what it was you looked so impish about. The most amazing idea came to mind while you sat in your math class, wishing to be rid of numbers and formulas you didn't comprehend. 

"Let's go on a picnic this weekend. Me and you. It'll be fun! We can even-" Before you managed to finish your sentence, Kageyama cut you off.

"Absolutely not." 

"But you didn't even hear the rest of what I was going to say, Tobio. Don't be a shithead, and let me finish," you said with an exasperated sigh. 

Letting out a grunt, he begrudgingly nodded his head as if to say, "go ahead, keep talking."

" _As I was saying,_ me and you should go on a picnic! I'll even make that pork curry you like, with the egg! Plus, you can bring your volleyball so we can practice together. I've been meaning to ask you to teach me some of the basics for awhile now, but I guess I never really got around to it. No big deal, now is as good a time as ever. So, what do ya say?" 

He considered this for a moment. Getting to eat some of his favorite food, while also getting to play a little bit of volleyball, all with you, sounded like a win-win to him. You looked up expectantly, willing him to say yes.

"...Is there anything else you planned on doing while at the park?" He couldn't help but feel as if there was something more to this than just going on a picnic. 

Mirth filled your gaze, and you smiled wickedly, showing your teeth. "You have me all figured out, Tobio! Well yes, there is something I also planned on doing. I just wanted to tell you the things I knew you'd like before hitting you with what I actually want. If I started with what I'm about to say, you'd definitely say no, and not even consider the rest."

Impatience flitted across Kageyama's face, and you took that as a sign to keep going. "Sooo, as you know, I'm very big on meditation, shadow work, chakra cleansing, using crystals, things like that, y'know?" He looked at you skeptically, and you continued. "Basically, what I'm saying is I wanna help you!"

"Help me...? I'm not sure I understand," he said warily.

"I wanna help you reach your higher self! I know I'm being vague here, but please, please consider it! You'll see what I'm talking about soon enough. Of course, that isn't the _only_ thing we'll be doing, I swear. So? How 'bout a yes?" You stared at him, unwavering, waiting for the answer you wanted to hear.

He briefly thought back to the conversation he once overheard you have with Yachi, explaining how you reached your "higher self."

He then glared at you, but you could tell his resolve was crumbling. 

Looking anywhere but you, he eventually let out a reluctant "fine." 

You whooped and grabbed his wrists, staring him dead in his eyes. " _Yes!_ Okay, I promise you won't regret it. This is gonna be so much fun! Trust me!" A ghost of a smile was seen on Kageyama's face as you elaborated on the park you'd meet at, as well as the time. You couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment knowing that you got Kageyama to agree to yet another proposition of yours. 

"So Saturday, 1 o'clock, at Tsutsujigaoka park," you confirmed. "That way we have at least 3 hours of sunlight, taking into consideration that the sun sets at around 4:30 or so." 

"Mmph," he grunted. "I'll stop by your place and we'll walk there?"

"Yep. It shouldn't be that far." You checked your phone, realizing it was already 3:24. Practice started in 6 minutes. "Shit! Look at the time! We're gonna be late to the gym." You groaned, feeing bad for leaving Yachi alone with all those boys, seeing as Kiyoko was absent today. 

Kageyama glared at you. "This is _your_ fault, you know. Come on dumbass, if we wanna make it in time to change we have to run." He broke off in a sprint, and you struggled to keep up with him. 

"Tobio! You _ass!_ Wait for me!" Fuck. Damn him and his stupid, endless stamina. 

The week dragged on, and before you knew it, Saturday had rolled around. You sat in your living room, making sure you had everything required for the day's outing. Carefully setting the still-warm containers of curry into your picnic basket, you slipped in several of Tobio's favorite snacks and drinks, as well as yours, 2 pairs of chopsticks, and a few napkins. Once that was done, you pulled out your tote bag. In front of you, you had a lighter, your journal, incense, and a variety of different crystals splayed out on the table. Going over your mental checklist, you had just about reached the end when a forceful knock startled you, and not even 3 seconds after you heard Tobio's gruff, demanding voice. "Let me in." Huffing, you trudged over to the door, trying to mask your excitement with slight disdain. You counted to 5 before deciding to slowly open the door. There stood Tobio, in all his angry glory. _Hmm, he looks really good right now,_ you mused. _Has he always been this attractive?_ Quickly dismissing the thought, you took in his appearance. His hair was in its usual style, and he was dressed in an oversized green jacket, with a black t-shirt underneath. You let your eyes wander lower, seeing his baggy jeans, and white air forces. At this, you snorted. "Kinda basic, don'tcha think?" you asked with a teasing smirk.

Tobio looked slightly irked at that, until his face smoothed over into the usual look he got when getting ready to say something that would undoubtedly make you want to flick his forehead. Never one to miss an opportunity to one up you, he opened his mouth, and the words spilled from his lips.

"Basic, huh? Regardless of that, you sure were taking your time with checking me out. Don't we have somewhere to be?" 

At that, you had no response. The asshole sure was getting bold. Snarling, you turned around and trudged over to where your crystals were placed. Picking them up one by one, you inserted them into a mesh baggie. Taking the baggie full of your precious stones, you put them into a tote bag, along with your incense, lighter, and journal. Making your way back to Tobio, you finally spoke up.

"Come on," you managed to get out. "We're wasting time." 

He puffed out a breath of air, something akin to a laugh. "Wasting time. Yeah, ok. If anything, _you_ were the one ogling me. So, technically-" you cut him off with a wave of your hand, never having been this flustered in front of him. Sure, you thought he was attractive. I mean, who didn't? And his personality wasn't _that_ bad once you got to know him. Albeit he was kinda awkward, ok, _very_ awkward at times, but you didn't mind. The fact that he even considered you good enough of a friend to let you in was more than enough for you. Your thoughts began to wander about why Tobio had even let someone like _you_ in. You were a little loud once people got to befriend you, and also kinda mean. But like, in a way that only friends are. Not to mention overly emotional. Your thoughts came to a halt when you realized the boy was still in front of you. Your embarrassment from his earlier callout came back, full force. If it was any other day that he had said something like that to you, you would've laughed at him, or cursed him out, or maybe even flicked him off. So why were you acting so unsettled this time? A fleeting thought passed through your mind. _No. Impossible._ You rapidly shook the dastardly words from your head, but the damage had already been done. Once the seed was planted, it's roots took place, anchoring themselves deep into your being, refusing to be dug up that easily. _Shit, shit, shit._ In a desperate attempt to tune out the thoughts now filling your head, you thrust the picnic basket into Kageyama's hands. 

"Take this! And let's go. Like, right now," you said with perhaps a bit too much enthusiasm. Rolling his eyes, Kageyama took the basket from you. 

"Lead the way, Oh Wise One." He sniggered at his own joke. You shot him a deadpan look, and walked out of the house. A gentle breeze, as light as a baby's breath, kissed your cheeks tenderly, and you let out a pleased sigh. The clouds were high in the sky, and the sun's rays draped itself over you and Tobio as you began the walk to Tsutsujigaoka park. Never having been one for much words, Tobio remained silent at your side, content with letting you occasionally point out a stray cat you saw, or the birds flying in a v-formation above your heads, or even the small caterpillars dotting the trees. As you neared the park, the amount of flowers lining the sidewalks increased. You took it all in, like a child being presented with too many choices in a candy shop. Tobio watched you with rapt attention, his eyes never leaving your euphoric face. As you two continued the trek to the innermost part of the park, your attention was caught by a cluster of flamingo-colored flowers. You felt yourself drift towards the enticing flowers, Tobio following closely behind. Crouching, you let your fingers ghost over the petals, amazed at the smoothness. 

"Those are camellias," murmured Tobio. "Do you know what they symbolize?" 

You slightly turned to look at him, giving the boy a vaguely amused once-over. Smiling lazily, you asked, "What do they symbolize, Tobio?" 

It was his turn to shoot you a lazy smile. "I don't think I wanna say."

"I see. So then what's the point of asking me? Are you ever going to let me in on the secret meaning of camellias?", you jokingly inquired.

"Yes, I suppose I will. Not right now though. But I _will_ tell you, when I deem fit. Make sure you're paying attention."

You raised an eyebrow at this. "Oh? How mysterious."

"Mhm." 

With that you stood up, casting one more glance at the camellias. "Let's get going, yeah? Our food is probably getting cold."

He nodded, and you both fell into step, side by side, once again. Finally reaching an opening with few people around, you spotted a cherry blossom tree slightly isolated from the others. "Hey, is that spot over there okay?", you asked, looking to Tobio for confirmation. He nodded, and you both made your way to the blooming wonder. Placing your bag on the floor, you reached for the picnic basket in his hands. He obliged, letting you set everything up as you pleased. You first took out the blanket, decorated with squirrels and acorns, and Kageyama made an indecipherable noise, shooting you an incredulous look. 

"No way. You own something like _that?"_ , he questioned. 

"Uh, yeah? What, you don't like it? I think it's quite cute." 

Sighing, Tobio shook his head, a look of what can only be described as fondness taking over his features. "It's so... _you._ Not that that's a bad thing of course! I just meant that- it's, y'know-, I mean-"

You snorted, chuckling at his awkwardness. "Yeah, yeah, I get what you mean, Tobio. Don't worry, I didn't take offense to any of it," you said with a teasing wink. His face was red all over, and he refused to meet your eyes, a dark scowl etched onto his face. You laughed slightly, and resumed setting up your picnic. Spreading the blanket across the grass, you next reached for the containers of curry. To your relief, the food was still relatively warm. After the curry came the chopsticks, then the napkins, then the snacks, and finally the drinks. Sneaking a glance at Tobio, you found his eyes shining, already looking pleased with the assortment of food spread out in front of him. You found yourself grinning too, and you reached for your curry. 

"Come on! Let's eat. I want you to tell me what you think of my curry, and if it lives up to your standards," you jokingly said.

"You better hope it's good, for your sake. I don't want to starve to death if your cooking is shit." 

Laughing, you grabbed your chopsticks, and Tobio did the same. 

"Thank you for the food!" You both said in unison. Before you took a bite, you watched Tobio first, waiting for his reaction. As he shoved a bite into his mouth, you held your breath. He met your eyes, chewing slowly, and deliberately. He swallowed, and the downturn of his lips sent you spiraling. _ohmygod you felt like your heart was going to jump out of your throat he didn't like it he thought it was gross he wished he never came on this picnic in the first place he hated your cooking-_

"How the hell did you make this?"

"Uh. What?" You were too humiliated to form a coherent sentence.

"Answer my question. This tastes _exactly_ like the way my grandfather used to make it. How did you manage that?"

A ton of bricks lifted from your shoulders, and the cement in your lungs disappeared. Your lips curled into a grin. "You liked it. You liked my curry! _Yes!_ I can die happy, for _thee_ Kageyama Tobio has deemed my curry worthy of being eaten." He grumbled, and continued to eat again. You mimicked his actions, while the two of you ate in comfortable silence. Upon finishing his meal, Tobio threw himself onto the blanket, reveling in his happy, filled stomach, and your presence as well. He looked so _tranquil_ , a small smile on his face as he laid back and looked up to the sky, his hands behind his head. Seeing him like this was foreign to you, and you felt the need to reach out and touch him increase with every second that passed. Giving in, your hand moved on it's own accord, seeking out Tobio. You smoothed his hair out of his forehead, and a soft feeling washed over your being upon seeing a sigh escape his lips. Your mouth moved involuntarily, asking what you usually would not have the gall for, had this been any other time.

"Hey, Tobio. The ground can be pretty hard. Did you..." you hesitated, fearing that you were overstepping boundaries. _Oh, to hell with those boundaries,_ you thought to yourself. "Did you wanna rest your head in my lap? I'm willing to bet it's at least a _little_ bit more comfortable than your current situation."

He seemed to be thinking your offer over, and you could just about _hear_ the cogs in his mind grating together. 10 seconds later, he gave you the slightest nod, a fine dusting of red coating his cheeks. As you brought yourself closer to him, he placed his head in your lap, and you quite literally melted. The warmth radiating from him was a welcome respite from the chilly air. You sighed and slouched over him as your hands instinctually reached out to cradle his head. Your eyes were closed, and all you could do was sit hunched over him, while the thumb on your right hand rubbed circles into his scalp. Your other hand cupped his cheek softly, and you shivered at the intimacy of the moment. He was the first to speak up.

"I think I kinda like this."

"Yeah, I'd certainly hope so, otherwise this would be a little awkward."

"Shut up. Don't ruin this moment."

You couldn't help the smile that tugged at your lips. "Oh? We're having a moment?" 

Tobio opened his eyes and met your laughter-filled ones. "Yeah, I'd certainly hope so," he mimicked, stealing your words from earlier. 

"Ah, you're getting bold."

He snorted. "I don't even wanna know how you managed to draw the conclusion that I was being bold." 

"Shut up, shit head."

Tobio let out a soft breath of air and closed his eyes once more as you began stroking his cheek again. You closed your eyes as well, and the two of you stayed like that for the next few minutes.

With your eyes still shut, you whispered, "Psst. Tobio. Can we play volleyball now?"

He didn't respond, and you became concerned, knowing that the idiot boy would gladly jump at any opportunity to play. 

You opened one eye, and looked down at the sleeping boy resting his head in your lap.

_Oh. Sleeping._

Of course that dumbass had fallen asleep. It had only been what, 20 minutes? 25 minutes? Grumbling, you sighed to yourself. 

"Well. Guess I can't move now." You glared down at the unmoving figure. "Damn you, Tobio." 

You didn't actually mind having him this close to you, though you'd never say that out loud. It would end up embarrassing you both. Time ticked by as you wandered deeper and deeper into thought. Everything about Kageyama Tobio seemed to captivate you, from his stupid, weird hair, _(that you never wanted to stop playing with)_ to his infuriatingly soft cheeks, _(that you couldn't help but run your thumb across and caress)_ to the awkwardly placed scar on the back of his left leg, exactly 3 centimeters above the crease of his knee, _(that you couldn't help but think about placing soft, fluttering kisses to)_ to those wonderful, capable hands, _(that you wished gently held your face from time to time)_ and, oh? Would you look at that? Those silly, nauseating thoughts from earlier creeped their way back into your mind. But this time was different. You were prepared. You opened your arms, and surrendered. You gave in. Admitted defeat. Accepted the inevitable. 

You were falling off of a cliff, with the bottom nowhere to be seen, and you _didn't even care._ You didn't brace for impact, nor did you try to save yourself. You simply fell. To be fair, loving Kageyama Tobio wasn't really part of your plan. Although, you _had_ somehow known from the very beginning that it would happen one day. You just didn't think it would happen this quickly. Or that it would be this consuming. In all honesty, you'd been burned so many times before. You fell for people fast, and hard, and that's _obviously_ a recipe for disaster. Rejection is not painless; especially when you've confessed so many times, only to have them give you slightly pained, awkward smiles in return. But once you've been stung over and over, the ache is a familiar one. And when you met him for the first time as the newest manager of the Karasuno Boy's Volleyball Club, you knew that the inevitable was coming.

Making friends with Tobio was hard. He did not speak much, nor was he very open to talking about anything other than volleyball. On the day they beat Shiratorizawa, he talked your ear off the entire bus ride home, never stopping for a break, or to catch his breath. You sat contentedly, listening to his excited words, until he cut himself off, pushing his lips together in a straight, tight line. 

_"I'm sorry," he murmured. "You just got through watching the game, I don't know why I'm recounting it as if you weren't there to see it yourself."_

_You stared at him, bewildered. "Kageyama, this is something you're passionate about, something that drives you. Why would I ever stop you from sharing what makes you happy? Besides, the match was fun to watch, but hearing you retell it is even better. Please, keep going. You were at the good part."_

_What can only be described as a look of slight confusion, and a hint of relief took over his features._

_"You.. don't mind me talking about this? You_ want _to hear what I have to say?"_

_Exasperated, you lightly punched him in the shoulder. "Yes, Kags! My gosh! I promise you that I don't mind at all. I'm genuinely enjoying this. Now start talking, unless you want me to go into detail about every crystal I own and their very specific uses._

_He groaned. "Yeah, I'll pass. Now pay attention, 'cause this is the_ really _cool part."_

_And so you did. You sat, turned in your seat, facing a boy that spoke with fervor about the thing he dedicated the majority of his 16 years on this planet to, and he was just so, so full of life, that you knew then and there, he was undoubtedly going to be the one you fell hardest for. That was the first time you pushed any romantic thoughts of said boy out of your head, determined to not let this friendship go to waste because of your lame, unnecessary feelings. This time would be different. You were going to make sure of it._

_Over the course of the next few months, the bond between you and him began to get stronger, and he went from Kageyama, to Kags, to Tobio. Neither of you realized when this change occurred, but then again, neither of you really cared. And now, here you are, sitting on the grass on a nice, spring day, with the weight of Tobio's head in your lap._

The boy began to stir, and you rolled your eyes, lightly tapping him on the nose.

"Thanks a lot for falling asleep on me, jackass." 

As his conscious finally came to it, he sat up, and then realized where he had fallen asleep. 

"O-oh! I'm, uh, sorry? I really didn't mean to fall asleep, I was just k-kinda comfortable, and y'know..." He trailed off, one hand behind his neck as he awkwardly sat there.

Wanting to make him suffer for falling asleep on you, ( _not that you minded it, ahem),_ you came up with an idea. 

"Hmph. Because you decided to just _make yourself comfortable_ at _my_ expense, it's time for me to bring out my crystals! And you, my dear, are going to be the one to listen to my tangent! Get ready for the time of your life, Tobio!" You shouted out.

He whimpered, like _actually whimpered,_ and fell onto his back. "Oh come _on!_ Do I seriously have to do this now? I don't trust those things. What if they give me bad luck? Or curse me? Hm? What are you gonna do if I'm _dead?_ " He lifted his head, sneering, and then sent you a withering glare. "Do you seriously want me to go out like this?"

You stared at him, slack-jawed. 9 seconds passed until you spoke up.

"Oh. My. _God._ I had no idea I was dealing with such a drama queen!"

Laughter began bubbling up out of your throat, and his cheeks turned crimson. 

"Don't call me that," he grumbled.

"Ah, my apologies, Queen." You managed to choke out while you laughed even louder. 

All he could do was sit and watch as you nearly passed out. Wiping the tears from your eyes, you finally managed to string together a sentence.

"Alrighty, Tobio! Let's begin! You're not getting out of this, so don't even bother. Now, I want you to lay back down, and close your eyes. Take long, deep breaths in, and out. I want you to inhale for a count of 5, then hold it for 5 seconds, and then I want you to exhale for a count of 5. You get what I'm saying?"

He was still scowling at you, but he complied. As he did his breathing exercises, you began pulling out your crystals. First came rose quartz, then quartz. Amethyst was next, followed by black tourmaline, and finally flourite.

Reaching for your bag, you fished around for your incense sticks and lighter. As you lit your incense, the aromatic scent piqued Kageyama's interest, and he opened his eyes. Wisps of smoke curled around you, and you smiled, feeling relaxed. After a few moments, you took a deep breath. 

"Ok! First off, how do you feel after those breathing exercises?" You questioned.

"Uh, I guess I feel kind of... lighter? A little subdued, maybe?"

"That's perfect! That was my intention, after all. I want you to be clear-headed and relaxed."

He nodded.

"To start off, I have rose quartz. Rose quartz is the stone of self-love. It has healing properties that encourage self-forgiveness, self-acceptance, self-trust, and self-worth."

"Next is quartz. Now, this stone is the most powerful healing stone, and it's nicknamed the "stone of power."

At that, he snorted.

You shot him a look, and began again. 

"Quartz amplifies your energy and intention. It acts as an amulet to avoid evil energy, and helps regain positive emotions. It also attunes to your higher self, and enhances and strengthens your aura."

"Wait, wait. I have a question."

"Mhm?"

"So, you said that quartz 'amplifies your intention.' What exactly does that mean?" 

"Ah, right. Your 'intention' is what you _intend_ to do. I know that's kind of confusing, and not that helpful, but stay with me."

Picking up the rose quartz, you continued. "For example, my intention for this rose quartz is to let it help bring positivity and self-love to me. To set my intention, I'd meditate with it in my palm as I say, _this stone will encourage healing, and self love._ Now I could either say that out loud, or in my head. Are you following?"

"Yeah, but I don't really understand how a stone can do all that. Do you mind explaining?"

"Of course not! For thousands of years, crystals have been used to restore, heal, and enhance our mental, physical, and spiritual balance. They align your frequencies, which can help you get more in touch with the world around you, leading to the overall improvement of your wellbeing. Frequencies, as I mentioned a second ago, are waves that pass a fixed place in a given amount of time. Just like radios emit frequencies, human beings are constantly doing the same, but with their _thoughts_.

With that being said, it's very important to try and avoid negative thoughts, because the more you think negatively, the more negative frequencies you'll attract, leading to a worsened mental state. And like radios and human beings, the Earth also emits frequencies. The Earth is a natural healer, and since every stone is naturally extracted _from the Earth_ , they contain the energy of the Earth, which possesses healing frequencies. When you utilize a stone in meditation, or even hold it, it interacts with the frequencies _you_ emit. The vibrations in the crystals align with the vibrations in humans, which strengthens our ability to heal spiritually. Oh, and the words _vibrations_ and _frequencies_ can be used interchangeably. I know that was kind of a lot, and slightly overwhelming, but I hope I didn't bore you."

Surprisingly, Tobio didn't seem bored in the slightest. In fact, he looked eager to hear more. 

He shook his head. "That wasn't boring at all," He said with a gleam in his eye. "It was cool. Please, keep going."

You stared, dumbfounded. _Huh?_

After a few seconds, he impatiently sighed, and an irritated look donned his face. "Yeah, yeah, I didn't expect to be this interested either. Now start talking, I'm invested now."

You shook your head and smiled at him, laughing gently. "Alright, alright, I'll keep going."

"So now that you know what frequencies and vibrations are, I can continue with what each crystal does." You grabbed for a small purple stone, dropping it into his palm. 

"That's amethyst. It's my personal favorite, and for good reason too. Amethyst balances and connects the physical, mental, and emotional bodies. It cleanses and deflects negative energy and enhances a higher state of consciousness. It is also a natural tranquilizer, and balances emotional highs and lows by dispelling rage, anger, fear, and anxiety. It's also good for insomnia. You can even put it under your pillow as you sleep. That's actually what I do! It's really helpful, and I've stopped having bad dreams ever since I started. Of course, it doesn't _completely_ get rid of the bad dreams, but, y'know, it does the job most of the time."

"Hm. I might have to look into getting some. I don't really sleep well, and I wanna try it and see for myself if it works."

You gasped. " _Seriously?_ Oh god, can I take you one day? I know this really great place where I get all my crystals from!" You were brimming with excitement at the prospect of Tobio getting into crystals and all that.

"Maybe. Now _keep going._ If I have to tell you one more time, I'm leaving you to walk home alone," he grumbled. 

"What an ass. Anyways, open your hand again."

He complied, and you placed a big chunk of black stone into his hand. 

" _That,_ my friend, is black tourmaline. Black tourmaline is by far the best stone for the absorption of negative energy. It's very efficient in protecting against negativity, and it cleanses and unlocks energy blockages within your body, or your home." 

You picked up an opalescent green stone, and once again put it in his outstretched hands. 

"And last but not least, flourite."

"Flourite helps increase our powers of concentration and self-confidence. It also aides in decision making. Like most of the other crystals, flourite absorbs and neutralizes negative energy and stress. Ah, and it improves balance and coordination, both physically, and mentally."

"Well? What do you think? Did you enjoy my _very_ informative lesson?"

Tobio sat, a thoughtful look donning his features.

Finally, he spoke up. "I didn't expect to enjoy that as much as I did, to be honest."

You huffed. "Of course you didn't. You're always underestimating me. I can make _anything_ fun."

"No, you definitely can't."

"Yes, I can," you insisted.

"No."

"Yes."

_"No."_

"Sheesh, Tobio take it down a notch. I was only joking."

He glared at you. "No you weren't."

You threw your hands in the air. "I can never win with you." 

He smirked, staring you down. "Of course not."

You stared back, unblinking. _1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,_ you counted. A wave of that _unspeakable_ emotion unfurled in your stomach, and you tried to smother it with thoughts of _literally_ anything else, but to no avail. You sighed, and finally looked away. 

"Ok, fine, you win this time. Fuck you, by the way."

He smiled and shot you a smug look. "I always win."

" _I always win_ ," you mocked. 

Before he could retaliate, you finally noticed the sun beginning it's descent into the slowly darkening sky. Checking your phone, you let out a noise of annoyance.

"What? How is it already almost 4:30?" You asked, bewildered. "No way it's been that long."

"Yeah, it obviously has."

You turned to glare at him, a biting response on the edge of your tongue, until you noticed the slight downturn of his lips, and furrowed eyebrows. Of course, this was not an unusual look for Tobio, but something was off, and you could tell.

"Tobio? What's wrong?"

His look of _whatever_ that was morphed into one that could only be described as slightly _constipated_ , yet longing? "Um. Nothing?"

"Bullshit. Tell me what's wrong."

He wrinkled his nose and turned away from you. "I said nothing, dumbass. Come on, we should start packing up if we wanna get home before dark."

Standing your ground, you stubbornly shook your head.

"No. I refuse to go anywhere. Tell me what's wrong before I beat it out of you."

He stayed silent. You poked him, over and over, repeating the words, "Tell me. Tell me. Tell me."

He whirled around to you, catching you off guard.

"Ok, _fine._ You wanna know why I'm so pissy? It's 'cause I don't wanna go home. I wanna keep spending time here, at this park, with you and your _dumb_ crystals and your _dumb_ squirrel blanket and your _dumb_ curry. There. That's what's wrong."

He heaved a sigh.

Then you smacked him. 

"What. _smack._ The fuck. _smack._ Are you _on?"_

Now, it was your turn to yell. 

"I _know_ your dumbass did not just lash out at me because you didn't want to go home. I absolutely refuse to believe you're _that_ much of an idiot, you shit-for-brains asshole." 

Sighing, you said, "We don't have to go home, Tobio."

He winced and shot you what could barely be considered an apologetic glance.

"Hmph. How was I supposed to know that, huh?" He bit out.

You blinked. 

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe you could've asked me, you _drama queen._ "

"Hey! Don't call me that."

"Then don't give me a reason to."

"Bitch."

"Drama queen." 

You both sat in silence as the sun continued to sink. Suddenly, an idea popped into your head. 

"Hey. Wanna go climb one of those sycamore trees over there? We can watch the sunset and stargaze."

"Heh. I don't really know how to climb a tree," he said, looking a little sheepish.

"Loser."

He flicked your forehead, scowling.

"Hey, hey! It's ok, I'll help you! Come on."

You rose to your feet, extending a hand to Tobio. He reluctantly grabbed onto it, and you hauled him to his feet, trying to ignore how cold his hand was. 

As you approached the towering sycamore, you smiled, grabbing the first branch and swinging yourself up with ease. It wasn't very high up, and you could touch Tobio if you leaned downwards. Looking at Tobio, however, you sensed his hesitation. Reaching down, you lightly bopped his nose and smiled. 

"Come on," you said gently. "Trust me." 

His face softened, and he nodded.

After you helped him up the first few branches, he began to get the hang of it, and you both climbed higher and higher, until finally settling on a branch thick and wide enough for the two of you. As you settled in, you noticed Kageyama scooting closer and closer to you, until your shoulders were pressed against each other. You turned to him, offering a questioning look. He shrugged, and turned back to the now setting sun. You figured that you shouldn't question it, and relaxed. 

The sky was splattered with apricot hues, lined with muted pink strewn throughout the clouds. It looked heavenly, and you couldn't help but smile. The world was covered in a soft glow, making sure humanity would remember the sun before it was time for the moon to rise. You closed your eyes and basked in the last rays of sunlight, unaware of the pair of eyes swimming with adoration trained directly on your face. Long after the sun went down, the two of you remained rooted in place, trying to see who could count the number of stars in the sky more accurately than the other.

"46, 47, 48, 49, 50... fuck, I lost track. Let me start again," you sighed. 

"What the hell? No way, it's my turn now."

You smiled and leaned your head back against the tree. "Alright then, Tobio. It's your turn."

Instead of counting, he simply remined quiet. Then you felt him shift next to you, before a cheek was being pressed to your shoulder.

"Since when did you get so affectionate, Tobio? I never would've pegged you to be the type to initiate leaning on me," you teased.

He grunted, and you patted his head. Turning your eyes upwards to observe the stars, you fixated on a particularly bright one. 

"I wish stars were inhabitable," you sighed. "I'd give anything to live on one."

"Stars are made of gases, idiot. There's no way that'd be possible."

You glared into the night sky. 

"Obviously. That's why I said I _wish_ they were inhabitable, suggesting that I knew they weren't. Duh."

"Still. What makes you think living on a star would be any better than living down here on Earth?"

You considered his question for a moment.

"Oh. I actually don't know."

He hummed, and it was quiet again. 

Of course, the silence could never last long with you two.

"Your head is heavy," you pointed out to Tobio.

He refused to lift his head. "Don't care."

Chuckling quietly, you brought your hand up to pat the cheek that wasn't smushed against you. 

"I know you don't. And neither do I," you said truthfully.

Then, "Y'know something Tobio?"

"Hm?"

"I'm kinda thankful that the universe let me and you exist at the same time, in the same place. It's weird, huh? That out of everywhere I could've been born, or out of any time period I could've been _born into,_ the universe chose a time and place where our paths would cross. I like that. I like it a lot. 'Cause it means I had the privilege of knowing you. And that's the most wonderful thing the universe has ever done for me."

Looking up at you, Tobio smiled, a _genuine smile,_ one that stretched his lips and crinkled his eyes. 

"Affection. Adoration. Devotion. Love," he said.

He then laid his head back on your shoulder.

_Ah. So that's what they symbolize._

You sighed happily, and that night, as the two of you walked home, Tobio stooped down near the cluster of camellias that had captured your attention earlier, plucked one, and handed it to you.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it! Much love, -s <3


End file.
